Mobile Phones on Mount Kilimanjaro
Many people who fly to Tanzania to conquer Mt. Kilimanjaro wonder if they will be able to use their mobile phones while climbing. In recent years, mobile service and network coverage on the mountain have really improved.
Climbers find that they can get mobile phone service in many parts of the mountain. This allows climbers to contact people from back home and maybe even post a few pictures on social media.
However, network connectivity tends to get scarce as you get closer to the summit. So, you might not have cell service on summit night or on other parts of the mountain depending on your service provider.
DifferentKilimanjaro routes also have different network coverage as they all take different paths up to the summit.
Mobile Service on Kilimanjaro
In order to access mobile service on Kilimanjaro, you will need to set your phone up for international travel or get a local SIM card once landing in Tanzania.
During many parts of the climb, you will have service to send a message or make phone calls. Data service is also available to access social media and WhatsApp. However, data and internet signals are not as strong so you might find that platforms like Facebook are very slow.
There are also some parts of the mountain that don’t have service at all. The weather on the mountain, especially if it’s raining and snowing, can also affect the signal.
So, even though you will have the opportunity to use mobile service on the mountain, don’t count on it too much as it can change quickly.
There is also not any WIFI on the mountain. This is why you need to make sure you have a Tanzanian SIM card or set your phone up to be used internationally before traveling.
Keeping Your Phone Charged
There is no electricity on Kilimanjaro, so there are no places to charge your phone. This means you will need to bring an external battery or solar battery charger to keep your phone charged.
External batteries can usually recharge your phone about three times before they might also lose power. Solar batteries can charge your phone numerous times as long as you expose it to the sun’s rays.
The Our guides know where there is a signal on the mountain, so you can always ask them to let you know the best places to use your phone. The rest of the time, consider putting your phone on airplane mode as this saves battery life.
Should I Bring My Phone on Kilimanjaro?
In this day and age, most people have trouble going without their phone even if it’s just for a couple of days or a week. Most Kilimanjaro routes are 6 days or longer, so if you don’t bring your phone, you will have to be okay without it for this amount of time.
If you want to ensure your relatives and friends back home know where you are and that you’re safe, you should at least bring your phone to send a few messages throughout the climb.
However, bringing your phone on the mountain is not required and you’re welcome to leave it behind.
All our guides climb with phones so they can contact park authorities in case of an emergency. You never have to be worried about being on the mountain without the ability to contact someone as the guides can help you.
Keep in mind though that climbing Kilimanjaro is something you will probably only do once in your life. You should enjoy every second and try to live in the present as much as possible.
Your phone and social media will always be waiting for you after you summit and go down the mountain.
Start Your Climb with Climbing Kilimanjaro Today!
We recommend you bring your phone with you especially if you don’t have a camera or another way of getting photos and videos. However, if you want to fully immerse yourself in the climb and forget about all your worries back home, you can always leave your phone in the hotel.
If you have any questions about mobile phone service on Kilimanjaro, feel free to contact Climbing Kilimanjaro! We can also get you prepared for summiting Kilimanjaro and answer any other questions that you might have.
